Tripods are used extensively today to support expensive equipment, including a wide range of types of cameras. Since however tripod legs are pivotable about a tripod plate, in some cases (as when placed on a smooth surface) there is a need to restrain the legs to prevent them from sliding outward. Spreaders and dollies have been used for this purpose.
Spreaders and dollies are basically flat three legged apparatuses, the legs of which are adjustable and which are connected to the tripod legs to hold them together and thereby prevent them from sliding outwardly.
In many uses, it is important that the tripod with its spreader be able to be very quickly and easily set up. This is particularly true in such cases as portable television news units where pictures must be obtained right away.
Mechanisms in the prior art for locking the adjusting legs at a desired length have presented an assortment of disadvantages. For example, many of the prior art mechanisms use knobs or twisting devices which during use can strip, jam up and in cold weather even freeze up. Even when properly operated, these mechanisms are still generally slow to lock and in many cases not sturdy or reliable enough for use with a tripod supporting heavy loads. Such characteristics are particularly disadvantageous when a quick set up is required for heavy loads in any kind of weather, as when used with portable news cameras in the field. Also, such prior art mechanisms have required considerable manual force to be applied to lock them firmly. Still further, some prior art mechanisms have components which can be impacted and damaged during handling, as for example, when thrown and bounced around during transport and before and after use.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.